Oh, poor Joe, poor Joe !

EDITOR: After reading Joe’s letter which was published in the July 30, 2004 edition of your newspaper, I was convinced that Poor Joe is of the opinion that his circumstances are unique and no one but him and his gay friends knew what they are going through. {{more}}
This is the conviction of each person with a problem. And in their own way they launch their own little campaigns to sensitize the world of their struggles, hopes, desires, and attempt to clear up any misconception of the way they are perceived and will like to be treated.
When one is confronted with a problem they think that their situation is unique. Take a look around you, you see that person sitting, standing, walking, running, or just idling there; take a good look at them. Now think of the three people you hate the most, love the most, who irritate you the most, whose company you enjoy the most, and who you think is the best example of strength you know. Write their names down on a piece of paper.
It may be shocking to know that the people you see every day all have problems that they think are unique to them only and for some, it is. And it is no different with those people whose names you have written on that piece of paper. For some people the battle is with overcoming adultery, pornography, theft, lying, homosexuality, etc. They have to face and struggle with the possibility of rejection, the secrecy, the self disgust, the feeling of hopelessness; these are certainly not emotions that are unique to you and the homosexual friends.
Every one of us can be placed in one of three categories. Category (1) consists of people like you “Poor…Joe” who are confronted with a problem and decided that you are going to live with it and all attempts to beat this problem are cast aside. You give up. Category (2) are those who fight every day to overcome their problems; category (3) are those who have to bring their thoughts under subjection and in turn bring their desires under control.
Each of the adopted or imposed problems that we are faced with brings to us, some sort of pleasure and or satisfaction. And most of the time we make a conscious decision that we love these pleasures far too much for us to give up our dangerous habit (like a person who is addicted to crack cocaine wants the high without the consequence of addiction), so instead of making the effort to overcome our problems the world is asked to confirm and accept you as we are.
I have never heard of a thief, (kleptomaniac), a gambler, a murderer (serial killer) saying that they were born that way, so why should homosexuals propagate such an outrageous concept. Like any practice that one chooses to dwell on and continually participate in, it can become psychologically addictive; and we all know that all addictions are hard to overcome. The struggle is long, painful and intense but not impossible.
It was amazing to see the depths Poor Joe has sunk to, in order to justify his sexual perversion. Poor Joe, no it is not wrong for people of any gender to show genuine love for each other. For example I met a beautiful lady, whose name I dare not mention, whom I genuinely love and will do anything for, but she is married. Now here is a situation, because I love her and she shares the same feelings for me so we should become sexually involved. No! I have male friends whom I genuinely love – does that mean that I am or should become a homosexual? Emphatically NO!
You referred to the Bible or a portion of the Bible as being irrelevant and obsolete. Like most people, you are finding fault with everything and everyone but yourself. Let me see if I understand you correctly: are you saying that God does not know what He is saying and doing?
The Jews said the New Testament is irrelevant and obsolete because it promotes Jesus Christ the man who they crucified as the Messiah. Protestants say that the ten commandments are irrelevant and obsolete because it said that the Sabbath day should be kept holy, which does not fit into their religious agenda and the list goes on.
I have never seen a homosexual dog or cat so I think it is a slap in the face of the Creator to see his most priced earthly created being on whom he bestowed a sense of right and wrong, good and bad, intelligence, and most of all whom he gave his son’s life to save, has made a choice to live below the standard he ordained for the beast.
And “Poor Joe”, don’t fool yourself; homosexuals, as well as thieves, murderers, adulterers, fools, etc. will be around until God says no more, not just homos. It sure doesn’t make their action right.
Instead of trying to convince the world that there is nothing wrong with your lifestyle, please put a little more effort into governing your thoughts, the things you exposed your mind to and the company you keep; it is only then that you will be able to bring your thoughts and mind under subjugation and your actions under control. Here marks the overcoming of your problem as you know it. It is not an easy road but it is worth a try.
Mr. Joe, whoever you are, I would like you to know that I do not hate you and your gay friends, but your homosexuality. I will never accept it to be anything than what it is: unnatural and a defilement, nothing to laugh about or condone. So on that note, do have a good week.

In service to humanity
Allan H.F. Palmer